Large, swan-sized mostly brown waterbird with a massive, long beak with extensible pouch. Atlantic populations have greenish to brown pouches and pale yellowish bills. Western birds have red pouch. Adults have grayish backs with darker brown underparts. Broad, crooked, long wings. Black legs and short tail. Breeding birds have light yellow crown and brown neck with white stripe. Non-breeding birds have mostly white neck and crown and pale yellow forehead. Immature birds are mostly brown or brownish-gray with white bellies and a pale underwing stripe.

Length: 130 (cm) Wingspan: 200 (cm)

Voice:

Generally silent when not at nesting colonies. Display calls are short squawks.

Habitat:

Warm, marine areas including bays and estuaries.

Behavior:

Sometimes found foraging in small flocks; nest in colonies. In flight, they alternate between very slow deliberate wingbeats and extended gliding, often very low over the surf.

Feeding:

Plunges into water with open beak to capture fish and small marine invertebrates.